The Accessibility Code for Auroville

This code was drawn up, and is presented to you, by Accessible Auroville. Part was published in March 2010 after collaboration with L’Avenir. We invite and welcome your constructive comments and suggestions to carry this forward.

For all public buildings, areas and facilities:

Safe ascents and descents with ramps, made according to accessibility standard specifications.

Ramps at entrances and exits to public buildings

Handrails at different heights, for different users, on steps and ramps.

Signage supplemented with pictograms, Braille, sounds, textures.

All doors to have a minimum width of 90cm.

Non-slip (anti-skid) flooring in all public areas.

Specially adapted drinking-water facilities in all public areas.

An accessible unisex toilet in every public building and, in the case of buildings over 3 storeys, accessible toilets on alternate floors.

Guesthouses to have at least two rooms at ground level with integrated toilet and bathing facilities.

For new communities, at least 2 fully accessible ground-level flats.

Public transport vehicles are now obliged by Law to have devices to assist people getting on and off. Buses and other public vehicles must be adapted, if necessary.

Safe, fully accessible pathways for pedestrians, including wheelchair users, people with babies and small children, elderly people, people with physical difficulties, and others, in parallel with major cycle paths.

Balconies on public buildings to have safety barriers.

Wherever there are cattle-grids, at community entrances for example, accessible entrances for people in wheelchairs or on crutches, those carrying heavy or awkward objects, and others, to be constructed

Educational Activities: interviews, research, movies and dramatizations for all adults, young people and children here to raise awareness of Accessibility issues, with a view to establishing and maintaining a caring, inclusive society.

Vision

Unity of idea and design is the first requisite in architecture as in any other art.